Chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators

ABSTRACT

A chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators is capable of generating electrical power from a moving body of water. The chained assembly comprises at least one anchoring stand and a plurality of hydroelectric power generators. Each hydroelectric power generator comprises a buoyant shell that is buoyant or partially buoyant in a body of water. One or more of the buoyant shells are suspended from the anchoring stand. Each buoyant shell contains an electrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft. An electrical cable connects the hydroelectric power generators.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/554,874, U.S. Pat. No. 8,446,032, entitled “HYDROELECTRICPOWER GENERATOR AND RELATED METHODS” to Chauvin, filed on Sep. 4, 2009,which is incorporated by reference herein and in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present apparatus relate to a chained assembly ofhydroelectric power generators.

The increasing demand for energy through the world requires developmentof renewable sources of energy. Conventional energy fossil fuel energysources, such as oil, coal and gas, have carbon emissions that are nolonger tolerable for the planet.

Reliable sources of renewable energy can reduce the growing danger ofglobal warming caused by the combustion of fossil fuels. Further, theincreasing energy demand of consumers in developing nations has led tohigher prices, price instabilities, and shortages of natural gas andoil. Still further, the use of atomic energy for electrical generationfaces the inherent dangers of atomic reactions and the reluctance oflocal communities to accept nuclear power plants. As a consequence ofthese myriad factors, there is increasing interest in generatingelectricity from non-polluting, renewable energy sources. Further,because electrical power generated by most renewable energy sources istypically not storable, it is desirable to use renewable energy sourcesthat can generate power throughout the day when the demand is highest,and such sources are said to have a “high capacity factor.”

One source of renewable energy having a potentially high capacity factoris wind energy. Wind generators and wind farms are being increasinglyadopted throughout the world, especially in regions having consistentlyhigh wind speeds. However, wind powered generating systems provideinherently intermittent power generation because wind speeds oftenfluctuate throughout the day and in seasonal patterns. As such, windpowered generators often cannot be relied upon to produce electricalpower at peak demand times or consistently throughout the year.

Hydroelectric power that is generated from turbines located at damsalong rivers is also extensively used. The dam holds and stores water ina lake at an elevated height, and the potential energy of the waterfalling from the higher elevation to a lower elevation is used to driveelectrical generation turbines. However, these are often multibilliondollar projects that are both expensive and can create furtherenvironmental problems. Further, the construction of a dam is oftenlimited to particular locations which are not available in all areas.For example, dams require a location between hills to allow creation ofa natural reservoir. Further, the weight and structure of the dam oftenrequires particular soil conditions, which include bedrock relativelyclose to the surface of the land, and surface layers of alluvial soil orsand.

Yet another source of renewable hydroelectric energy can come from theocean. Hydroelectric power can be generated using the energy of waves,tidal flows, or ocean currents. These energy sources have a morepredictable output than wind energy. However, they are also subject today-to-day and seasonal variations. Further, generation of such power islimited to coastal regions and would require transportation from theocean to distant land usages which results in high transmission losses.Even more importantly, conventional apparatus for converting oceancurrents and tides to electrical energy is relatively inefficient, whichfurther limits their use.

Hydroelectric power can also be generated from small rivers andfast-moving streams which are often located further inland. Theselocations are often further inland and thus allow the generation ofelectricity closer to the actual usage point, minimizing transmissioncosts and power losses incurred across large distances. Further, somestates and countries require power companies to purchase surpluselectricity from private generation facilities, providing an incentivefor land owners with transient water canals or streams to exploit thisnatural source of renewable energy. For these and other reasons, manyconventional river power generators have been designed, including waterwheels to capture energy from the moving water stream, paddlegenerators, and others—for example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,616,403, 10/489,642, 11/805,790, 11/805,790, 11/823,292, 7,215,036,and 7,223,137. However, the size and complexity of many of these systemspreclude their use in local rivers and small streams. Further, many suchsystems produce low levels of electricity rendering capitalization costsfor small land owners impractical.

For various reasons that include these and other deficiencies, anddespite the development of various hydroelectric power generationsystems for oceans, rivers and streams, further improvements inhydroelectric power generation technology are continuously being sought.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a chained assembly of hydroelectric power generatorscomprises (a) at least one anchoring stand; (b) a plurality ofhydroelectric power generators, each hydroelectric power generatorcomprising a buoyant shell that is buoyant or partially buoyant in abody of water, one or more of the buoyant shells being suspended fromthe anchoring stand, and each buoyant shell containing an electricalgenerator mounted on a stationary shaft; and (c) an electrical cableconnecting the hydroelectric power generators.

In another aspect, a chained assembly of hydroelectric power generatorscomprises (a) a plurality of hydroelectric power generators, eachhydroelectric power generator comprising a buoyant shell that is buoyantor partially buoyant in a body of water, and each buoyant shellcontaining an electrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft; (b) amooring line tethering the buoyant shells of each hydroelectric powergenerator to a fixed point; and (c) an electrical cable connecting thehydroelectric power generators.

In yet another aspect, a chained assembly of hydroelectric powergenerators comprises (a) a plurality of hydroelectric power generators,each hydroelectric power generator comprising a buoyant shell that isbuoyant or partially buoyant in a body of water, one or more of thebuoyant shells being suspended from an anchoring stand, and each buoyantshell containing an electrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft;(b) a flexible grid of suspension lines to hold the hydroelectric powergenerators in a spaced apart relationship to one another; and (c) anelectrical cable connecting the hydroelectric power generators.

In a further aspect, a chained assembly of hydroelectric powergenerators comprises

(a) a plurality of hydroelectric power generators, each hydroelectricpower generator comprising:

-   -   (i) a buoyant shell that is buoyant or partially buoyant in a        body of water, the buoyant shell containing an electrical        generator mounted on a stationary shaft; and    -   (ii) a generator controller comprising an integrated circuit        chip with associated memory capable of storing program code that        includes management program code to monitor the hydroelectric        power generator to provide in real-time:    -   (1) alerts, exceptions and alarm notification;    -   (2) reports on historical data; or    -   (3) a graphical user interface.

In one version, the management program code comprises a (i) externalmanagement component code to control external components, and (ii)internal management component code to send and receive signals from apower generator, other power generators, or an external controller forthe entire chained assembly of power generators. In another version, theexternal management component code is capable of sending or receivingsignals that indicate power generated, functioning, malfunctioning, orexternal connection status. In another version, the internal managementcomponent code comprises instructions for receiving and sending signalsto other power generators concerning operation and output of the powergenerator. In another version, the generator controller includes anelectrical switch to control the flow or electricity out of the powergenerator to connect the same to other power generators throughelectrical cables, or to transport the generated electricity directly toan external controller or transformer. In yet another version, theelectrical switch has a fuse that disconnects the power generator fromthe other power generators when the power generator fails during use. Inanother version, the generator controller includes a data switch tocontrol the flow of information into and out of the power generator. Inanother version, the data switch is a router or network type switch. Inanother version, the data switch sends and receives data to anenterprise network management system that is capable of sending e-mails,pages or SNMP. In another version, an electrical chaining cable is usedto connect the power generators to one another, the electrical chainingcable including a data cable and an electricity cable.

DRAWINGS

These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood with regard to the following description,appended claims, and accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples ofthe invention. However, it is to be understood that each of the featurescan be used in the invention in general, not merely in the context ofthe particular drawings, and the invention includes any combination ofthese features, where:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a hydroelectric powergenerator;

FIG. 1B is a front view of the power generator of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a side view of the power generator of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is a side partial sectional view of the power generator of FIG.1A, showing spokes connected to a fixed gear which drives an internallymounted electrical generator;

FIG. 1E is a front partial sectional view of the power generator of FIG.1D;

FIG. 2A is a front view of another embodiment of a power generatorhaving cupped fins;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the power generator of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is a front partial sectional view of an embodiment of the powergenerator of FIG. 2A showing curved spokes that drive an internallymounted electrical generator;

FIG. 3A is a front view of another embodiment of a power generatorhaving rectangular fins;

FIG. 3B is a side view of the power generator of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a front view of another embodiment of a power generator havingpolyhedron fins;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are front views of embodiments of the power generatorhaving elongated and streamlined shells and fins;

FIG. 6A is a front view of a pair of plates and a seal which are used toseal around the stationary shaft of the shell;

FIG. 6B is an exploded side view showing the joining of the plates andseal around the stationary shaft of the shell;

FIG. 6C is a side view of the assembled plates and seal around thestationary shaft of the shell;

FIG. 6D is a front view of the assembled plates and seal around thestationary shaft of the shell;

FIG. 6E is a side sectional view of the joint between the first andsecond hemispheres of the shell of the power generator of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6F is a front partial view of the joint between the hemispheres ofthe shell of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 7 is a front partial sectional view of another embodiment of apower generator having straight and angled spokes attached to theinterior surface of a shell to transfer energy to a drive shaft whichdrives an internally mounted electrical generator;

FIG. 8A is a front view of the plate which can be attached to theinterior surface of a shell of another embodiment of a power generator;

FIG. 8B is partially exploded side view of the plate attached to thedrive shaft of the generator of FIG. 8A;

FIGS. 9A to 9C are schematic views of different arrangements of gearassemblies that can be contained in a gearbox;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are front and side cross-sectional views,respectively, of a power generator having a spherical shell with aninternal electrical generator and gear assembly;

FIG. 11A is a partial sectional side view of an embodiment of anelectrical generator;

FIG. 11B is a partial sectional front view of the electrical generatorof FIG. 11A;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are side and front schematic views, respectively, of abuoy capable of holding a power generator having a non-floating shell;

FIG. 13A and 13B are side and front schematic views, respectively, of ananchoring stand having an anchoring cable to anchor a non-buoyant orpartially buoyant power generator at the correct height at the surfaceof a body of water flowing through a canal;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a chained assembly ofpower generators that are each attached to an anchoring stand;

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of another exemplary embodiment of a chainedassembly of power generators suitable for large bodies of water; and

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an electricalmanagement controller.

DESCRIPTION

A hydroelectric power generator is capable of generating electricalpower from a moving body of water above and adjacent to land. Thehydroelectric power generator produces electricity without the use offossil fuels, with good efficiency, and can be used in a variety ofdifferent locations. The power generator can be operated in a movingbody of water, such as a stream, canal, river, lake, bay, estuary, oreven an ocean. For example, a moving body of water such as a canal,stream or river has a direction of flow of water in a stream that isgenerated by gravity. The power generator allows extracting energy fromsuch flowing waters without the construction of expensive dams. Thepower generator presents a low cost alternative allowing consumersliving on fast moving streams, canals and rivers, to purchase andinstall a local power generating system to meet their needs or even tosell excess power back to the power company. As another example, anocean can have a direction of flow of water that is generated by oceancurrents or the ocean tides. The power generator can also be used to tapthe energy of ocean currents and tides at the surface of the ocean.

Generally, the power generator 20 comprises a hollow shell 22 defined bya wall 24 with an interior surface 26 enclosing an interior volume 28and an exterior surface 30, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E. The interiorvolume 28 should be sufficiently large to enclose internal components,such as an electric generator, shafts, and other parts. The shell 22 iscapable of being suspended over or inside a body of water, or to floatat a predetermined depth or on the surface of a moving body of water 32.The moving body of water 32 has a flow direction 34, such as a tide orwater current, having a predetermined or particular flow direction for aperiod of time. The shell 22 can be spherical, cylindrical, or a shaperequired by physical environment. For example, the shell 22 can be anoblong spheroid. The material used to fabricate the shell 22 should beresistant to the external environment and provide an airtight orwatertight seal. The wall 24 of the shell 22 can be made of a polymersuch as acrylic, or can be metal, ceramic, concrete, or a compositematerial, such as even fiberglass. The shell 22 can also be made from anenvironmentally friendly material such as ceramic or concrete, which ifit sinks to the bottom does not harm the environment of the stream orocean.

The shell 22 can be adapted to sink in water, or be designed to be abuoyant shell 22 that floats at a predetermined height in a body ofwater 32 or on the surface of the body of water 32 as shown in FIG. 1A.The buoyancy of a buoyant shell 22 is selected to obtain a predeterminedflotation height inside the body of water 32, or on the surface of thewater 32. The buoyant shell 22 also provides a watertight and sealedinterior volume 28. The buoyant shell 22 can also have different sizesdepending on the interior volume 28 needed to contain a generator orother hardware. The interior volume 28 and weight of the buoyant shell22 and its internal components is adjusted to obtain the desired levelof buoyancy that sustains the weight of the internal components whilestill allowing flotation at an acceptable depth or on the surface of abody of water 32.

The buoyant shell 22 has an external shape designed to provide anexterior surface 30 that provides a smooth flow of water with lowturbulence. The exterior surface 30 also has an external profiledesigned to provide a smooth flow of water with low turbulence in thebody of water 32. For example, the shell 22 can be a sphere, cylinder,oblong spheroid, rectangular box, or polyhedron. For example, a suitableshape for the shell 22 is a spherical shape, such as a sphere or ovalshape, an elongated or oblong spheroid, or even an ovate-sphere—anegg-shape which is slightly more spherical than an egg as shown in FIG.1A. In the ovate spherical version, the shell 22 comprises a firsthemisphere 25 a, which is a first half-ovoid, and a second hemisphere 25b, which is a second half-ovoid. Each hemisphere 25 a,b can have aflattened end 36 a,b as shown in FIG. 1A, or a rounded end 37 a,b asshown in FIG. 2C.

A pair of longitudinally opposing holes 38 a,b are in each of theflattened ends 36 a,b or rounded ends 37 a,b, of the shell 22. The holes38 a,b are generally opposite one another and along a line of sight. Inone version, each opposing hole 38 a,b is surrounded by a plate 39 a,bwith a seal 40 a,b therebetween, as shown in FIG. 1E. Referring to FIGS.6A to 6D, each plate 39 a,b comprises a set of holes 47 for fasteners48. When fastened, the two plates 39 a,b press against and squeeze theseal 40 therebetween to provide a watertight seal with the stationaryshaft 62. A suitable seal 40 is a face or double face seal made frommetal or ceramic for harsh environments. In one version, the seal 40 is,for example, a Jinhua Face Seal, comprising a floating seal fromchromium, molybdenum and cast iron and can withstand a maximum pressure1 to 1.7 BAR/cm² and a temperature of 20 to 90 C.° and is fabricated byJinhai Machinery Parts of Engineering & Mining Co., Ltd., Hebei, China.Such a floating seal can provide over 4500 hours of life and isfabricated from 15% chrome and 1 to 3% molybdenum to produce a hardmaterial and superior wear and corrosion resistance.

The hemispheres 25 a,b are joined at the middle 41 of the shell 22 by asealed joint 42, as shown in FIGS. 6E and 6F. In the version shown, eachhemisphere 25 a,b, comprises a flange 43 a,b which extends radiallyoutward from the body of the shell 22. The flanges 43 a,b are generallyplanar and can also contain a groove for a grommet seal 44 which can bemade from a polymer material such as rubber or can be a compositematerial such as a gasket. A bolt 45 is passed through holes 38 toconnect to nuts 47 on the other side, and washers 48 a,b can bepositioned between the faces of the bolt and nut and the surface of theflanges 43 a,b. While one embodiment of the sealed joint 42 is shown,the joint 42 can also be other joints, such as screw thread joints orsnap-pull joints or other joining mechanism, which can be easily openedfor servicing or replacing the components within the shell 22.

A set of fins 50 is attached to the exterior surface 30 of the shell 22,as shown in FIG. 1A. The fins 50 are capable of rotating the shell 22about the stationary shaft 62. The angularly spaced apart fins 50 areshaped and arranged along the exterior surface 30 of the shell 22 androtate by the force applied by the moving body of water 32. The fins 50can be fully submerged in the water or can dip into the water 32 and atleast partially clear the surface of the body of water 32 with eachrotation cycle. For fins 50 attached to a buoyant shell 22, in a singlerotational cycle, each fin 50 is sequentially pushed by the moving bodyof water 32 in the first half cycle and rotates freely in air in thesecond half cycle. When the shell 22 submerges, the entire body of thefins 50 can be covered by the water, or a top portion of selected fins50 can be outside the water and their base portions in the water 32.

The fins 50 have a profile selected to maximize the thrust provided bythe flow direction and velocity of the moving water 32 in a submerged,partially submerged, or in a floating position. In the version shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, the fins 50 comprise spaced apart rectangular blades 50attached to the exterior surface 30 of the shell 22. The rectangularblades 50 are shaped and arranged along the exterior surface 30 of theshell 22 to be forced to rotate—and consequently rotastand to theattached shell 22—with the thrust of the moving body of water 32.Generally, the rectangular blades 50 are used when the shell 22 isfloating or partially submerged in a water current of a body of water32, as shown by the arrows 34. Each rectangular blade 50 is pushed bythe water 32 when it is submerged into the water 32 and then clears thesurface of the water 32 with each rotation cycle. The rectangular blades50 extend substantially perpendicularly to the exterior surface 30 ofthe shell 22 and have a flat surface selected to maximize the thrustprovided by the flow direction and velocity of the moving water 32. Therectangular blades 50 also have a tapered side profile that tapers froma thicker base 54 joined to the exterior surface 30 of the shell 22 to adistal end 56 which is distil from the exterior surface 30 and taperedin shape. The rectangular blades 50 are spaced apart at equal anglesalong the exterior surface of the shell 22, and in the version shown,the six blades 50 are spaced apart at an angular spacing of about 60degrees. FIG. 10 shows fins 50 having a side profile that tapers from athicker base 54 to a thinner distal end 56 to provide better mechanicalstrength at the base 54.

FIGS. 2A to 2C show another embodiment of a power generator 20 havingcupped fins 50 with a flat front surface 29 a and a curved rear surface29 b. The cupped fins 50 extend substantially perpendicularly to theexterior surface 30 of the shell 22. The cupped fins 50 have a profileselected to maximize the thrust provided by the flow direction andvelocity of the moving water 32. For example, each cupped fin 50 canhave comprises a central depression 51 comprising an elongated crescentshaped recess 53; however, the depression 51 can have other shapes, suchas oval or circular shapes. The crescent shaped recess 53 cups or spoonsthe water as it rotates and has a rounded profile that, in operation,would be less likely to harm living creatures, such as environmentallyprotected species or even fish. In one prospective embodiment, thecupped fin 50 has a tapered side profile to that tapers from a thickerbase joined to the exterior surface of the shell 22 to a narrowertapered end that is away from the shell 22. The cupped fins 50 arebalanced in weight and also spaced apart at equal angles along theexterior surface of the shell 22.

FIGS. 3A and 3B shows fins 50 having a side profile that tapers from athinner base 54 to a distal end 56 which is thicker and rounded. Thesefins also have rounded corners 52 to reduce drag and minimize breakagein water 32 having debris. Still another version, as shown in FIG. 4,comprises a polyhedron fin 50 that is shaped with edges at differentangles to reduce drag in fast waters. While particular versions of fin50 are described herein, the fin 50 can have other suitable shapes orconfigurations that could accept the force of the moving body of water32 to rotate the shell 22 as would be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art. For example, a submersible or bi-directional powergenerator 20 may well have different requirements for the shape andconfiguration of the fin 50.

Referring back to FIGS. 1D and 1E, a stationary shaft 62 extends throughthe two opposing holes 38 a,b of the shell 22. For example, thestationary shaft 62 can extend through the bearings 46 a,b. The shaft 62projects in a generally horizontally direction through the two bearings46 a,b. The shaft 62 can be made from a metal, such as stainless steel,or from other materials such as polymers, such as acrylic or a compositematerial.

A fixed gear 64 is attached, directly or indirectly, to the interiorsurface 26 of the shell 22. By fixed gear 64 it is meant that the gearis coupled or affixed to the shell 22 in such a manner as to rotate insynchronicity with the rotational movement of the shell 22. In thismanner, the fixed gear 64 transfers the rotational movement of the shell22 caused by the force exerted by the current or tidal flow of the bodyof water 32 onto the fins 50. For example, the fixed gear 64 can beattached directly to the interior surface 26 of the shell 22, indirectlyattached to the interior surface 26 of the shell 22 via spokes or othersuspending structures, or mechanically coupled to the interior surfaceof the shell 22 via a moving mechanical structure such as a gear, pulleyand the like. The fixed gear 64 is mounted on a first gear bearing 68,which slides over the shaft 62 to allow the fixed gear 64 can rotateabout the shaft.

In the version shown in FIGS. 1D and 1E, the fixed gear 64 is connecteddirectly to the interior surface 26 of the shell 22 via a set of spokes70. The spokes 70 allow transferring the energy from exterior shell 22to the fixed gear 64 at the centerline.

For example, the spokes 70 can even be used with multiple gearspositioned at different centerlines. The spokes 70 can be straight,bent, or curved, and positioned at different positions along the lengthof the interior volume 28 of the shell 22 to allow more efficient use ofthe interior volume for the placement of the components therein. Thespokes 70 have a first end 74 fitted to a spoke holder 78 that is joineddirectly to the interior surface 26 of the shell 22, and a second end 82attached to spoke support 88 on the fixed gear 64. The spokes 70, spokeholder 78, and spoke support 88 can be generally the same as those usedfor bicycles. Generally, the fixed gear 64 is attached to the interiorsurface 26 by from about 2 to about 12 spokes.

In this version shown in FIG. 1E, the drive shaft 122 comprises a hollowbarrel 168 that encircles and wraps around the stationary shaft set 62.The hollow barrel 168 has a first end 172 connected to a first shaftbearing 176 and a second end 178 connected to a second shaft bearing180. The fixed gear 64 is mounted on one end of the hollow barrel 168 ofthe drive shaft 122, and the drive gear 108 is mounted on the other endof the drive shaft to drive the gearbox 116. The latter version also hasa drive shaft 122 that is a hollow cylinder encircling the stationaryshaft set 62, and the fixed gear 64 and drive gear 108 are mounted atthe two ends of the drive shaft to drive the gearbox 116 of theelectrical generator assembly 94. It should also be apparent that thespoke arrangements can drive several different electrical generatorassemblies 94 within a single shell 22 so long as the generatorassemblies are mounted at different positions along the stationary shaft62.

An alternative spoke configuration connected to different types of fixedgears 64 to drive alternative electrical generator assemblies 94 areshown in FIG. 2C. In this version, the spokes 70 are curved or bent toallow optimal positioning of the internal components by allowing bendingof the spokes 70—for example, around the body of a generator, gear box,or other structure. In this version, the fixed gear 64 can be positionedat a greater distance from the front of the shell 22. In this manner,the spokes 70 also allow sizing the shell 22 to different sizes whilestill using the same internal components. This gives design flexibilitywhen the shell 22 has to be resized and made larger to provide moreenergy transfer at slower water speeds and to increase the exteriorsurface area of the shell 22 to accommodate a larger number of fins.

The spokes 70 also allow transferring the energy during differentpositions along the length of the interior volume, moving the driveshaft away from or towards the stationary shaft. For example, FIG. 7shows a set of straight spokes 70 having a first end 74 that is mountedat an angle to the plane of the interior surface 26 of between about 15to about 85 degrees, and a second end 82 that is joined to a relativelysmaller fixed gear 64 on the drive shaft 122.

Instead of spokes, a plate 190 can also be attached to the interiorsurface 26 of the shell 22 and transfer energy to the drive shaft 122,an exemplary version which is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. In this version,the plate 190 comprises a disc 192 having a circumference with a firstset of holes 193 a through which first fasteners 195 a are passed tohold the disc 192 to an inner flange 196 extending out from the interiorsurface 26 of the shell 22. The disc 192 comprises a central aperture197 which fits around the stationary shaft 62 and is surrounded by asecond set of holes 193 b to attach the disc 192 to a ring 199 mountedon the drive shaft 122 with second fasteners 195 b. In this version, thedrive shaft 122 comprises a hollow cylinder that is sized to fit aroundthe stationary shaft 62 and which revolves around the shaft 62 withfirst and second bearings 200 a,b. Advantageously, the plate 190provides structural support to the shell 22, which is stronger than thesupport provided by the spokes 70 but also slightly heavier.

Still another version of a power generator 20 comprising an electricalgenerator assembly 94 inside a shell 22 is illustrated in FIGS. 10A and10B. In this version, a shell 22 has a spherical shape, and a stationaryshaft 62 extends through aligned holes 38 a,b through the middle of theshell 22. The electrical generator 100 is mounted on the stationaryshaft 62 using a generator mount 104 b that also serves as a housing 212for the generator. The fixed gear 64 is circular and attached to theinterior surface 26 of the shell 22. The gear 64 has teeth 216 thatextend outwardly to engage the teeth 218 of the drive gear 108 whichpowers the electrical generator 100.

An electrical generator assembly 94 comprises an electrical generator100 that is suspended from the stationary shaft 62 via a generator mount104 b. The fixed gear 64 mechanically couples and engages a drive gear108 which is mounted on a drive shaft 122. In addition to the drive gear108, optionally, a gearbox 116 can be used to further increase ordecrease the rotational speed of the generator 100. For example, thegearbox 116 can include a set of gears designed to increase the ratio ofthe rpm of the drive gear 108 relative to the rpm of the generator by afactor of from about five to about 100. The gearbox 116 can be mountedto the generator 100 or to the stationary shaft 62. Several arrangementsof gears of the gearbox 116 is shown in

FIGS. 9A to 9C. For example, FIG. 9A shows a gear assembly that canincrease the rotational speed from an input rotational speed of 10 rpmto an output rotational speed of 1000 rpm using four gears, that arearranged as shown and for the generator 100. FIG. 9B shows a gearassembly that can increase the rotational speed from an input rotationalspeed of 12 rpm to an output rotational speed of 960 rpm using fourgears, that are arranged as shown and sized. FIG. 9C shows a gearassembly that can increase the rotational speed from an input rotationalspeed of 15 rpm to an output rotational speed of 900 rpm using aplurality of gears.

An exemplary embodiment of an electrical generator 100 suitable for usein the electrical generator assembly 94 is shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B.The electrical generator 100 comprises a generator housing 118comprising a pair of opposing holes 120 a,b that each have a bearing 123a,b through which passes a rotatable generator shaft 124. The rotatablegenerator shaft 124 can be the same as the drive shaft 122, or adifferent shaft connected to the drive shaft through the gearbox 116.The generator housing 118 can be made from a metal, such as for example,aluminum. The electrical generator 100 includes a south pole statormagnet 126 a and a north pole stator magnet 126 b, both of which areattached to the generator housing 100. In the example illustrated inFIG. 11A, the stator magnets 126 a,b are shown as plates but they are apartial cylinder, such as a half right cylinder, as shown in FIG. 11B,and they can also have other shapes. An armature 128 comprises a rotorcoil 130 comprising a right cylindrical coil 131 of copper wire 132which is wrapped around the generator shaft 124. An electromotive forceis generated in the copper wire 132 of the rotor coil 130 when thegenerator shaft 124 and overlying armature 128 is rotated between themagnets 126 a,b. In operation, the rotating rotor coil 130 passesthrough the magnetic fields produced by the south and north pole statormagnets 126 a,b, respectively, to produce electricity such as a DCvoltage. The produced DC voltage passes to a commutator 136 whichcontacts negative and positive leads 138 a,b. The generated electricityis passed to an electrical connector 160 which transmits the electricalpower generated by the rotor coil 130 of the electrical generator 100through the shell 22 to the exterior environment. The externalenvironment can include converters, substations, batteries, and anotherelectrical storage or transmission means. A voltage regulator 155 canalso be provided inside the electrical generator 100 or voltageregulation can be handled by an external power control module 158. Theamount of field current passed through the voltage regulator 155 to therotor coil 130 is controlled by the voltage feedback from the voltageregulator 155.

Many alternative embodiments of the electrical generator 100 arepossible as would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, andthe present invention should not be limited to the illustrativegenerator described herein. For example, the cylindrical coil 130 of thearmature 128 and the magnets 126 a,b can have other shapes or be indifferent configurations. Further, the electrical generator 100 can alsobe configured to generate an alternating current (AC) voltage,sinusoidal current, pulsed DC current or other types of current. Forexample, an alternating current generator may be more efficient foroperating AC devices as the generated electricity does not have to beconverted from DC to AC. Still further, AC voltage generated by agenerator such as an alternator can be converted by the output diodesinto a pulsating DC voltage, which is transmitted to the rectifier or toan external battery for storage.

In operation, the power generator 20 provides a self-contained floatingelectricity generator with a watertight shell. The fins 50 of the powergenerator 20 rotate, driven by a water current of a moving body of water32, causing rotation of the shell 22, which in turn causes rotation ofthe fixed gear 64 about the stationary shaft 62. The fixed gear 64causes rotation of the drive gear 108 on the shaft 122 of the electricalgenerator 100. The rotational energy of the drive gear 108 can be passedto the gear box 116 to generate additional the torque and/or increasesRPM, or directly passed to the generator shaft 124 of the electricalgenerator 100. The rotating shaft 124 causes rotation of the rotor coil130 between the south and north pole stator magnets 126 a,b respectivelyto generate an electrical current in rotor coil 130.

In any of the versions described herein, a debris screen 140, as shownin FIGS. 13A, 13B and 14, can also be placed upstream of the powergenerator 20 to redirect floating debris all around the power generator20 allowing the flow of water 32 to move freely across the fins 50without turbulence or blockage. The debris screen 140 should notsignificantly reduce the speed or volume of water 32 reaching the fin50. In one version, the debris screen 140 comprises a set of bars 142that are spaced apart from one another by small gaps to form channels.The small gaps prevent large debris from entering the channels. The bars142 can be angled relatively to one another to define apexes upstream ofthe water flow close to the power generator 20.

The electrical power generator 20 can comprise a non-buoyant shell 22and can be tethered to a buoy or suspended from above the body of water32. In one version, the non-floating power generator 20 is tethered to afloating buoy 225 which is shaped to float on the surface of a body ofwater 32, an embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. Thepower generator 20 is positioned on the floating buoy 225 so that thefins 50 on the non-buoyant shell 22 dip into the body of water 32. Thebuoy 225 comprises a frame 227 comprising an upper support 228 a and alower support 228 b that are joined at a float 229. The upper and lowersupports 228 a,b are shown as U-shaped our rectangular in configuration,but could be other shapes, such as half spherical or even half oval. Thesupports 228 a,b can be connected to one another, by a bearing or mobilejoint, such that they rotate about the axis defined by the float 229.The stationary shaft 62 of the power generator 20 extends into the upperand lower supports 228 so that the shell 22 is held at, or near, thesurface of the body of water 32.

A warning device 232, such as a flashing light or bell, can be mountedon the upper frame 228 a. The fins 50 of the power generator 20 canextend out of the frame 227 as shown. In alternative versions, the fins50 can also be within the frame 227, especially when the frame haslarger sidewalls, such as hemispherical sidewalls (not shown) with anopening in the front and back to allow the ingress and egress of waterto move the fins 50.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13A and 13B, the shell 22 is buoyant andfloats on the surface of a body of water 32, for example in a canal 236.The shell 22 is tethered by an anchoring cable 240 which has a tetheringend 244 connected to one or both of the protruding sections 246 of thestationary shaft 62 that passes through the shell 22. The cable 240further comprises an anchoring end 248, which is connected to ananchoring stand 250 which is either resting on the bottom of the canal236 (not shown) or resting on land adjacent to the canal (as shown). Theanchoring stand 250 comprises triangular legs 254 extending upwardlyfrom a base 256. The triangular legs 254 support a top plate 258, whichin turn can be used to support a transformer 260 and/or an electricalmanagement controller 270 (not shown). The top plate 258 is supported atits two ends 294 a,b by the angled legs 254. The angled legs 254 areangled to extend partially over, or to the edge of the canal 236, toreduce the length of the swing stand 280. A suitable angle for theangled legs 254 is from about 45 to 85 degrees from the horizontal. Anelectrical connector 160 can be passed through or attached to theanchoring cable 240. Chaining electrical cables 274 connect differenttransformers 260 and/or electrical management controllers 270 to oneanother or to other power generators 20.

Advantageously, the anchoring stand 250 and anchoring cable 250 allowthe power generator 20 to move freely in a vertical direction to followthe surface of the body of water 32. A partially buoyant power generator20 by virtue of its partial buoyancy will settle at a higher heightrelative to the bottom of the canal 23, when the surface level 296 ofthe water 32 rises. Conversely, when the water surface level 296 falls,the partially buoyant power generator 20 floats at a lower level in thewater, all the while remaining attached to the stand 250.

The anchoring stand 250 can also be built to rest on the bottom of thebody of water 32. For example in a shallow stream, it may be moreeffective to have a anchoring stand 250 with triangular legs 254 thatrests on the bottom of the canal or stream to suspend the electricalpower generator 20 at the right height above the surface of the water 32such that the fins 50 dip into the water sufficiently deep to be poweredby the motion of the water 32. The triangular legs to 54 leave an openarea therebetween and rest on the bed of the body of water 32.

The power generator 20 in any of the embodiments described above can beused by itself, or in a chained assembly 300. An exemplary embodiment ofa chained assembly 300 is shown in FIG. 14. The chained assembly 300comprises a set of anchoring stands 250 that each suspend a powergenerator 20, and which are connected to one another by “chaining”electrical cables 274. A suitable electrical cable 274 comprises, forexample, a conductor wire that is suitably sized for the application,fiber-optic cables to transmit instructions to the devices, and a groundcable suitably sized for the application. In one version, the electricalcable 274 comprises a polymer sheath enclosing three conductor wires, 1to 50 fiber optic cables, such as 50 micron cables, and one ground wireof copper. The electrical cable 274 can connect to other devices using astandard electrical connector, such as a NEMA 114-30 connector, andconventional optical fiber connectors such as a LC connector. Theexposed areas of the electrical cable and all the exposed or externalconnection points are sealed with water-tight polymers or silicone. Theelectrical connector is connected to electrical switch connects to thepower generator 20 and other generation components. The optical fiberconnects to an extranet switch to connect to the data/managementcomponents. The electrical and management paths are controlled bystandard based path technology such as IEEE 802.1w.

Eventually, the electricity generated by all of the power generators 20of the chained assembly 300 is directed to an electrical substation 302,for direct use in the land adjacent to the power generators, or fortransportation to other locations through an electrical grid.Advantageously, such a chained assembly 300 allows a series of powergenerators 20 can be arranged to follow the path of a body of water 32such as for example, the canal 236, to allow the power generators 20 a-eto generate a much larger power wattage. For example, if each powergenerator generates 2500 watts, the chained assembly 300 of six powergenerators can generate 750,000 watts. While the exemplary embodiments,shows a chained assembly comprising six power generators 20, it shouldbe understood that much larger numbers of power generators 20 can beused to generate tens or even hundreds of megawatts of electrical power.Table I shows the water recovery distance calculated for different motorspeeds, when different types of electrical generators 100 are used inthe power generator 20. For example, when a WindBlue DC-640 generator(available from WINDBLUE POWER Co., New Strawn, Kans., USA) is used ineach power generator 20, the distance between our generators and waterspeed of 1 mph was calculated to be approximately 340 feet, whereas at15 mph, the distance was calculated to be only 2.66 feet. Thus as thewater speed increases, the distance between the power generators 20 canbe much shorter. The KAT generators are available from 26/268sultanganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh India—282004 and TF generators areavailable from 26/268 sultanganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Thechained assembly 300 can also be configured to follow a circuitous path,such as the pot of a naturally occurring stream, river, or even anirrigation or water supply canal. Still further, since each anchoringstand 250 and power generator 20 is a physically separate unit, theanchoring stands 250 can be setup at different heights to follow thegradient of the flowing body of water.

TABLE I Water recovery distance @ water speed Generator 1 mph 5 mph 10mph 15 mph WindBlue DC-540  340.80 ft  24.00 ft  7.38 ft  2.66 ftAlternator (prototype) KAT 1000 D  893.43 ft  61.85 ft 15.12 ft  4.40 ftKAT 1250 D  956.89 ft  66.04 ft 15.84 ft  4.79 ft KAT 1500 D 1072.19 ft 73.32 ft 18.15 ft  5.17 ft KAT 2000 D 1220.81 ft  83.64 ft 20.29 ft 5.54 ft KAT 2500 D 1353.86 ft  91.85 ft 22.40 ft  6.27 ft KAT 3000 D1479.51 ft 100.02 ft 23.80 ft  6.63 ft KAT 4000 D 1730.47 ft 116.29 ft27.94 ft  7.68 ft KAT 5000 D 1918.40 ft 129.14 ft 30.67 ft  8.37 ft KAT6250 D 2139.67 ft 144.01 ft 34.07 ft  9.39 ft KAT 8250 D 2453.63 ft164.96 ft 38.80 ft 10.40 ft TFW2-75 2689.53 ft 180.85 ft 42.57 ft 11.65ft TFW2-90 2942.95 ft 197.74 ft 46.64 ft 12.67 ft TFW2-100 3099.25 ft208.56 ft 49.04 ft 12.67 ft TFW2-120 3390.66 ft 227.76 ft 53.75 ft 14.48ft TFW2-150 3794.24 ft 254.74 ft 59.79 ft 16.17 ft TFW2-200 4372.35 ft279.94 ft 68.94 ft 18.50 ft TFW2-250 4890.52 ft 328.03 ft 76.97 ft 20.65ft TFW2-280 5173.14 ft 346.93 ft 81.44 ft 21.98 ft TFW2-300 5358.15358.99 ft 84.11 ft 22.84 ft TFW2-320 5531.07 ft 370.85 ft 86.78 ft 23.52ft TFW2-350 5783.69 ft 387.73 ft 90.79 ft 24.52 ft

It should be understood that while the exemplary embodiment of thechained assembly shown in FIG. 14 uses the anchoring stands 250 tosuspend the power generators 20, a chained assembly of buoyant orpartially buoyant power generators 20 can also be arranged to follow thepath of the canal 236 with or without the need for the anchoring stands250. For example, if the canal 236 is known to have a shallow waterdepth or to dry out at some times of the year, anchoring stands 250 canbe used to prevent the power generators 20 from touching the bottom ofthe canal. The type of anchoring stand 250 used can also vary. Forexample, another type of anchoring stand 250 could be two or morepillars, made of steel or reinforced concrete, which are implanted inthe raised ground on either side of the moving body of water 32, or fromthe bottom of the water 32. Other types of anchoring assemblies can beused for each individual power generator 20 or for a chained assembly300 comprising a plurality of power generators. The shell 22 of eachpower generator 20 can be tethered with a mooring line 304 to a fixedpoint, for example to an adjacent or proximate location on nearby landor to a conventional anchor 308 at the bottom of a body of water. Suchtethering means can prevent the power generator 20 from floating away inthe water current. Similarly the floating buoy 225 with power generator20 can be tethered with a mooring line 304 to an anchor 308. The mooringline 304 can be a nylon or other material that is flexible and strong,and which is attached to the exterior surface of the shell 22 of a powergenerator 20, or which in the case of the floating buoy 225 can beattached to the frame 227 of the buoy 225. The anchor 308 can be aweight, such as a body of metal, sand, or other material, connected bythe mooring line 304 to the shell 22 or frame 227. The anchor 308 canalso be a dead weight, spike or concrete pile, which is affixed toadjacent land, or on the ground at the bottom of the water 32. In stillother systems, the anchor 308 can comprise one or more pillars orpillions which extend from the bottom of the body of water 32 andconnect to the floating power generator 20 with the mooring line 304.Alternative systems can be used to mount the power generator 20 incanals and small water 32 ways. In one such system, the power generator20 is anchored to the bottom of the body of water 32 by a mooring line304 comprising a flexible chain that maintains its operational heightand minimal operation depth independent of flow changes of thesurrounding body of water 32.

Another exemplary embodiment of a chained assembly, as shown in FIG. 15,is suitable for larger bodies of water 32, like river deltas and oceans.The grid 305 of connected power generators 20 provides a largedeployment basis that offers redundant electrical generation andtransmission paths. Thus, if one power generator 20 malfunctions orbreaks, the level of generated electric power will not appreciablydecrease. These large-scale deployments can also be connected toelectrical grids, battery banks, or even an electrical substation 302.For smaller deployment, current conversion and voltage manipulation canoccur at the anchor or frame. For large deployments, a substation may beused to clean power to connect to the grid 305.

In the version shown, the chained assembly 300 comprises a grid 305 thatis a flexible grid 310 of mooring lines 304 that suspends a set of powergenerators 20 above the water 32. The grid 310 comprises a plurality ofsuspension lines 314 which are used to hold a set of spaced apart powergenerators 20, the suspension lines 314 are spaced apart and attached topairs of holding lines 318 a,b. In this version, one of the holdinglines 318 a is attached with a mooring line 304 to land, and anchors 308are attached to the other holding line 318 b to stabilize the chainedassembly 300 in the water 32. The power generators 20 are connected bychaining electrical cables 274, which in turn, are connected to thesubstation 320. The chained assembly 300, by virtue of the flexible grid310 of suspension lines 314 and holding lines 318 can follow thechanging surface topography of the waves of an ocean without breaking orbecoming irreversibly twisted or distorted. In this version, the powergenerators 20 can have buoyant shells 22 which support the suspensionlines 314 and holding lines 318, or the suspension and holding lines314, 318 can themselves can be flotation devices, and/or the corners orjoints of the flexible grid 310 can comprise floating buoys (not shown)which support the weight of the flexible grid 310 and the powergenerators 20.

A block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical managementcontroller 270 is shown in FIG. 16. Each power generator 20 comprises agenerator controller 400. The generator controller 400 comprises anintegrated circuit chip that is programmable or non-programmable and hasassociated memory, such as random access memory and read only memory. Asuitable chip can be a Pentium™ chip fabricated by Intel Corporation,Santa Clara Calif. Conventional data entry systems such as keyboardsmice and display are used to enter software program code and data intothe generator controller 400. In the exemplary embodiment shown, thegenerator controller 400 comprises program code, which can be stored assource code or compiled code in the memory. The program code can bewritten in assembly language, C programming language, Pascal, Java, orother languages. While an exemplary embodiment of a generator controller400 is described herein, it should be understood that other embodimentsare possible. Thus the scope of the present claims should not be limitedto the embodiments described herein.

In the version shown, the generator controller 400 comprises managementprogram code 405 which monitors the power generator 20 and providealerts, exceptions, reports on historical data, and also allows agraphical user interface. The management program code 405 providesreal-time monitoring, historical reporting and alarm notification. Inone version, the management program code 405 comprises a generation unitmanagement code 410, which controls external management component code415 and internal management component code 420. The external managementcomponent code 415 sends and receives signals from other powergenerators or from an external controller for the entire chainedassembly of power generators. For example, the external managementcomponent code 415 can receive and send signals from other powergenerators that would indicate power generated, functioning ormalfunctioning of units, and external connection status. The code 415can further comprise instructions to receive and send signals to anexternal controller concerning its own power generator 20.

The internal management component code 420 sends and receives signalsfrom its own power generator 20, to other power generators or anexternal controller for the entire chained assembly of power generators.For example, the internal management component code 420 can have codedinstructions for receiving and sending signals to other power generatorsconcerning operation and output of the generator itself. The code 420can further comprise instructions to receive and send signals to anexternal controller concerning its own power generator 20.

The generator controller 400 can also include an electrical switch 430that controls the flow or electricity out of the power generator 20 toconnect the same to other power generators 20 through the chainingelectrical cables 274, or to transport the generated electricitydirectly to an external controller or transformer for the entire chainedassembly 300. The electrical switch 430 can also have a fuse thatdisconnects the power generator 20 from the remaining chain should thepower generator fail during use. Still further, the generator controller400 can also include a data switch 434 which controls the flow ofinformation into and out of the power generator 20. For example, thedata switch 434 can be a router or network type switch. The data switch434 can also send and receive data to an enterprise network managementsystem 440 which includes an API 445 switch. The enterprise networkmanagement system 440 performs the functions of alerting systems bysending e-mails, pages or SNMP. In addition, the enterprise networkmanagement system 440 can also connect to a user interface for receivingdata and programming instructions, or even program code, from a user.Still further, the enterprise network management system 440 can compriseprogram code that communicates with existing management systems.

As shown in FIG. 12, the chaining electrical cables 274 which connectthe power generators 20 to one another or to an external transformer orcontroller, can have multiple cables for transporting electricity, andseparately transporting data. For example, the electrical chaining cable274 can include a data cable and an electricity cable. Still further,the chaining electrical cables 274 can include first cables 448 thatestablish a primary electrical path through other power generators 20,and second cables 450 that establish redundant electrical passed throughthe other generators 20. The cables can also be used to bus managementinformation from the individual power generators 20 to the end pointssuch as a transformer or usage point.

The hydroelectric power generator 20 according to embodiments of thepresent invention presents numerous advantages over conventionalsystems. For example, the power generator 20 allows extraction of energyfrom streams, canals and rivers, and in places where soil and geographicconditions make the use of dams difficult. The power generator 20 alsoallows extraction of energy of river currents in large rivers and deltaswithout foreclosing the use of the river for navigation. It even can beused in large grids in the ocean. The generators 20 further enablerelocation and shifting of energy extraction means to those parts of ariver where the currents are optimal. Still further, the power generator20 can be used as a single unit or to construct larger power plants ofhigh efficiency and moderate cost. These systems can enable theproduction of electrical power in large quantities, with precise controlof frequency and synchronization such that the power can be merged withconventional electrical power generation systems, despite fluctuationsin water flow.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown anddescribed, those of ordinary skill in the art may devise otherembodiments which incorporate the present invention, and which are alsowithin the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms below,above, bottom, top, up, down, first and second and other relative orpositional terms are shown with respect to the exemplary embodiments inthe figures are interchangeable. Therefore, the appended claims shouldnot be limited to the descriptions of the preferred versions, materials,or spatial arrangements described herein to illustrate the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chained assembly of hydroelectric powergenerators, the assembly comprising: (a) at least one anchoring stand;(b) a plurality of hydroelectric power generators, each hydroelectricpower generator comprising a buoyant shell that is buoyant or partiallybuoyant in a body of water, one or more of the buoyant shells beingsuspended from the anchoring stand, and each buoyant shell containing anelectrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft; and (c) anelectrical cable connecting the hydroelectric power generators.
 2. Anassembly according to claim 1 wherein the electrical cable comprises atleast one of: (i) a conductor wire to transmit power generated by thepower generator; (ii) a data cable; and (iii) a ground cable.
 3. Anassembly according to claim 1 wherein the data cable comprises anoptical fiber or copper cable.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1wherein the exposed areas of the electrical cable and its connectionpoints are sealed water-tight.
 5. An assembly according to claim 1wherein the hydroelectric power generators are arranged to follow a pathof the body of water.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein theanchoring stands are setup at different heights to follow a gradient ofthe body of water.
 7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein eachbuoyant shell has the shape of a sphere, an oval, an elongated spheroid,an oblong spheroid, or an ovate sphere.
 8. An assembly according toclaim 1 wherein each buoyant shell comprises a wall having interiorsurfaces, exterior surfaces, and an interior volume, and comprising afixed gear that is fixedly attached to the interior surface.
 9. Anassembly according to claim 8 comprising at least one of: (i) thestationary shaft that extends across the interior volume of the buoyantshell, and the stationary shaft comprising protruding sections that passthrough the buoyant shell. (ii) a set of fins attached to the exteriorsurface of the shell, the fins capable of rotating the shell about thestationary shaft from a force of the body of water; and (iii) a drivegear that engages the fixed gear to drive the electrical generator. 10.A chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators, the assemblycomprising: (a) a plurality of hydroelectric power generators, eachhydroelectric power generator comprising a buoyant shell that is buoyantor partially buoyant in a body of water, and each buoyant shellcontaining an electrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft; (b) amooring line tethering the buoyant shells of each hydroelectric powergenerator to a fixed point; and (c) an electrical cable connecting thehydroelectric power generators.
 11. An assembly according to claim 10wherein the fixed point is a proximate location on nearby land.
 12. Anassembly according to claim 10 wherein the mooring line maintains anoperational height and depth independent of flow changes of the body ofwater.
 13. An assembly according to claim 10 wherein the fixed point isan anchor at the bottom of the body of water.
 14. An assembly accordingto claim 10 wherein the mooring line is part of a grid of mooring linesthat suspends the hydroelectric power generators above the body ofwater.
 15. An assembly according to claim 14 wherein the grid is aflexible grid.
 16. A chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators,the assembly comprising: (a) a plurality of hydroelectric powergenerators, each hydroelectric power generator comprising a buoyantshell that is buoyant or partially buoyant in a body of water, one ormore of the buoyant shells being suspended from an anchoring stand, andeach buoyant shell containing an electrical generator mounted on astationary shaft; (b) a flexible grid of suspension lines to hold thehydroelectric power generators in a spaced apart relationship to oneanother; and (c) an electrical cable connecting the hydroelectric powergenerators.
 17. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the suspensionlines are attached to a pair of holding lines.
 18. An assembly accordingto claim 17 wherein the buoyant shells support the suspension lines andholding lines.
 19. An assembly according to claim 17 comprising at leastone of: (i) a holding line is attached with a mooring line to land; and(ii) an anchor is attached to a holding line.
 20. An assembly accordingto claim 16 wherein the flexible grid follows a surface topography.